Szeto HandymanReading the label
- The full spot
- The Rheem heater, close and clear
- Your cross street
Every Rheem tank has a rating label on the side with the model, the serial number, the capacity in gallons and the fuel type. The serial number encodes the manufacture date; Rheem’s site at rheem.com explains how to read it and lists parts by model. Send us a clear photo of the label with any request.
- Wide shotThe whole fixture and the space around it.
- Close-upLabels, model numbers, the leak or break.
- ConnectionsValves, pipes, wires or brackets.
- Send itText the photos with your cross street.
No hot water on a gas unit
On older gas Rheem tanks with a standing pilot, the first check is whether the pilot is lit. If it keeps going out, the thermocouple is a common cause. Newer gas models may have an electronic gas control with a status light that blinks codes; the code chart on the unit or in the manual points to the cause.
We follow the maker’s instructions and replace failed parts like-for-like. Any smell of gas means leaving the house and calling the gas utility first.
No hot water on an electric unit
Electric Rheem tanks use upper and lower heating elements, each with a thermostat, plus a high-limit reset behind the upper access panel. A tripped reset, a failed element or a failed thermostat are the usual causes. With the power off at the breaker, these parts are replaced like-for-like on the existing circuit.
Flushing sediment
Sediment settles at the bottom of a tank and causes rumbling and slower recovery. Draining several gallons through the drain valve, or a full flush, clears much of it. Tanks that have not been flushed in years can have drain valves that clog or leak once opened, so we bring a replacement valve. See water heater flushing.
- Cold-water shutoff and inlet
- Hot-water outlet
- Temperature and pressure relief valve
- Gas valve or thermostat
- Drain valve, used for flushing
Relief valve
The temperature and pressure relief valve near the top lets out water if the tank gets too hot or the pressure too high. A valve that drips steadily might be worn, or it might be telling you the house pressure is high or the expansion tank has failed. We check before simply swapping the valve, because the cause matters.
Anode rod
Tanks have an anode rod that corrodes in place of the steel tank. Replacing it before it is used up can extend tank life. It needs clearance above the tank to pull out; in tight closets a flexible segmented rod helps.
When to replace
- Photo first
- The Rheem heater price, agreed
- Working before we go
Water leaking from the tank body, not from a fitting, means the tank has failed. Rust-colored hot water, heavy rumbling after flushing, and an old tank with repeated repairs are also signs. We replace like-for-like on existing connections: same fuel, similar size, same location.
Moving the heater, changing fuel type, or adding new gas or electrical capacity is outside our scope. See repairing versus replacing a water heater and water heater repair and replacement.
Seismic straps
A full tank is very heavy, and straps keep it from tipping and tearing its gas and water lines in an earthquake. When we replace a tank, new straps go on as part of the job. On an existing tank, loose or missing straps are a quick fix.
A typical Rheem visit
You report lukewarm water. We ask for a photo of the label and the burner area. If the gas control blinks a code, we look it up before coming out and bring the likely part.
On site we check the gas supply valve is open, read the code, and work through the maker’s steps. After any repair we run hot water at the farthest tap to confirm temperature.
- Shut it offTurn the valve under the fixture clockwise, or the main valve.
- Relieve pressureOpen a faucet nearby so the line drains.
- Contain itTowels and a bucket; unplug anything wet.
- Photo and textSnap the leak and valve, then text us.
- Model and serial number
- Gas or electric
- Tank size
- Venting type
- Month and year made: the first four digits of the serial
- Any error code or flashing light pattern on the gas valve
Not a Rheem dealer
Szeto Handyman works on Rheem water heaters independently, without any affiliation with the company. Coverage questions go to Rheem.
Hot water runs out fast
A tank that empties quickly may have a failed lower element on an electric model, a broken dip tube that mixes incoming cold water with the hot at the top, or simply more demand than the tank was sized for. Checking the elements and the dip tube comes before deciding a bigger tank is needed.
Smelly hot water
A rotten-egg smell in hot water only can come from a reaction between the anode rod and certain water. Flushing the tank and swapping the anode for a different type often helps. If the cold water smells too, the source is elsewhere.
Water too hot or not hot enough
Rheem tanks have a temperature dial on the gas control or behind the access panels on electric models. Small adjustments, made a little at a time, often settle the complaint. Scalding hot water is a safety issue in homes with children or older adults, so we set it moderately and show you where the dial is.
Tank life
Each tank has a rated life, and the label photo plus the date in the serial tells us roughly where yours stands.
Drain pans and leak sensors
A drain pan under a tank in a closet or upstairs space catches small leaks. A simple battery leak alarm on the floor beside it sounds when water appears. Both are low-cost additions during a service call.
- Faucets, toilets and valves
- Traps and drain connections
- Water heaters on existing lines
- Disposals and supply lines
- Moving or adding pipe runs
- Sewer and main drain work
- Repiping and new gas lines
- Slab leaks
What to send
A photo of the rating label, a photo of the controls, and a note on whether the problem is no heat, too little heat, noise, leaks or smell.
Related guide: How to decide whether to repair or replace a water heater.
Questions we get
Where is the manufacture date?
Encoded in the serial number on the rating label.
- Just the Rheem heater
- Bundle small tasks
Why does my pilot keep going out?
Often a worn thermocouple.
Can you replace a Rheem tank?
Like-for-like on existing connections, yes.
Do you replace anode rods?
Yes.
- A text on the way to the Rheem heater
- Floors covered, tidy after
Are you affiliated with Rheem?
No.
- Mon–Sat 8:30 AM–7 PM
- Closed Sunday
- Texts usually answered within the hour.
Get a quote for Rheem water heater service
Text a photo and your cross street. Free estimates, and most texts are answered within the hour.
Good to fix along with the Rheem heater
Common add-ons: tank and tankless flushing, Water heater: repair or replace?, tank water heater swaps. Symptom pointing elsewhere? Try A. O. Smith water heater service or plumbing repairs.
Repairs related to the Rheem heater
Booked across the 626, in West Covina, Covina, Baldwin Park, Azusa, Temple City, Sierra Madre, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale and Glendora.